Traitor or betrayed? Mudclaw speaks
by Terklysz
Summary: Mudclaw tries to explain to Tallstar his reasons for challenging the rule of Onewhisker. Written in style of Code of the Clans cat thoughts. One-shot.


Tallstar? Don't move away. For too long we have avoided each other in StarClan. It is time to settle it down.

You say I betrayed you, but that's not what I wanted. When Onewhisker came with Firestar and announced that he is a new deputy and soon will be leader, I knew he was lying. Even if you would have changed your mind, I was sure that the great and wise leader I served would trust me enough to tell me that I failed you.

It wasn't that I didn't tr ust your word, it's just that I knew you wouldn't discuss such things behind my back. I would accept your decision if you told me in the face.

You're right, I probably wouldn't have done it easily. Maybe I was too eager to be a leader. But I was still loyal, and I would have followed your word.

Yes, I took many leader's responsibilities when I was deputy. Someone had to. Be honest with yourself Tallstar, after the Great Journey you barely know what was going on around you. How could you make any decisions? The Clan was shaken by the journey, and the destruction of forest affected us a lot more than it did the other three Clans.

It's why you made me deputy, don't you remember? To lead the Clan when you couldn't. It was my duty. We were already banished once. I couldn't let it happen again.

You say the Clans wouldn't do it? I wished I could share your faith. Leopardstar was always a fierce leader. Don't you remember how much we fought back in the forest? And what about Blackstar? A deputy of both Brokenstar and Tigerstar, our greatest opponents. How could I trust him after all that? And of course, Firestar. Yes, he always fought so there would be four Clans. But in that case, we would need his help, and then once again, and again... Like a kit that couldn't manage without it's mother. Is that how you saw WindClan? As a helpless kit?

I always thought of WindClan as a fierce warrior, running like a wind, that nothing could stop.

You may think Firestar wouldn't take an advantage of us, but I was never as sure. Nobody thought Tigerclaw wanted to kill all of us either. Maybe that what Firestar was waiting for, a good opportunity to seize the power in WindClan. How could his good old friend Onewhisker refuse, after all the things ThunderClan done to us?

Hawkfrost? It wasn't a decision I made lightly, to ally with that RiverClan cat. I didn't want to get rid of Onewhisker and all the influence of ThunderClan, just to make a RiverClan cat deputy. But when that ThunderClan medicine cat found Moonpool, I knew I didn't have much time. It was one thing, for many cats, to oppose Onewhisker, the ThunderClan's paws licker, but another to disagree with Onestar, leader blessed by StarClan. I had to stop him from visiting Moonpool. And ThunderClan would help their favoured leader, I was sure of it. I needed a group of cats that could challenge ThunderClan and WindClan's Onewhisker supporters. It was then, when Hawkfrost came to me and proposed to help me, in exchange for making him a WindClan deputy. I didn't have time to look for other options. I had to agree.

And I was right, it wasn't long before Brambleclaw and other ThunderClan came to support Onewhisker's side. Hawkfrost betrayed me. But even as I was losing, and the death seemed inevitable, I knew I was only doing it for WindClan.

I was wrong. Onewhisker wasn't a liar and traitor. I don't hold a grudge against him. I give him one of his nine lives, don't you remember? It was your choice to make him your successor. And Hawkfrost wasn't trustworthy. Maybe it is better that we didn't succeed and made him a deputy. Maybe. I know this now. But back then I wasn't a StarClan cat, I didn't know all this. I did what what I thought was best for the WindClan.

Onestar tries his best as the leader, I know he tries to make WindClan as strong as he can. I don't agree with all his decisions, just as I never agreed with all yours.

I pity him at times. He never wanted this. It cost him a lot to forget about his friendship with Firestar and to be so hostile to ThunderClan. It took him a lot of time, to gain the trust of cats that supported me in that battle. Making him leader hurt him a lot, and hurt me a lot, too.

He wasn't a traitor. I didn't want to betray WindClan either. Why you had to betray me? I always did as you wanted, and you always respected my word. Why couldn't you remember about that then?

Was it necessary to make Onewhisker a leader? He didn't want it. I wouldn't do anything that would harm WindClan. I know we disagreed with our ways at times, but we always worked for the good of the WindClan and trusted each other.

Maybe we should forget about this incident. Maybe the way it turned out, is for the best for WindClan.

I won't apologise for my actions, Tallstar. I did what I thought was for the best.

Think about it, and I hope you will understand.

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Reviews appreciated.


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